Combustion turbine



Dec. 31, 1929. H. HQLZWARTH 1,741,939

COMBUSTION TURBINE Filed Jan. 29, 1927 a g m T e I Q a g w R -7- MMESS h nwavro/e A rromve rs sions.

Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICVEA HANS HoLzwAnrrrr; or nussnrnonr, GERMANY, Assrenonr'o Hmwrms ens rum 311m oo. or SANYIFRANCISGO, CALIFORNIA, a conronarron or pEn fcomnusrion TURBINE,

hWABE Application ama 1927 semi No. recess. Y

My invention relates to combustion turbines and more particularlyto turbines of this class which are of large horse power and include combustion chambers of large dimen- The object of the present Invention is to provide a novel method and arrangement whereby the complete fuel charge in. th combustion chamber will be fully exploded at the predetermined favorable moment in the operative cycle of the turbine to develop maximum operative efiiciency and without creating lingering after explosions. A further object of the invention is to provide a method and construction whereby the development of pressure Waves resulting from improper ignition, and consequent sudden pressure increases, which are not favorable to the regulated operative cycle and the practical maintenance of the turbine are avoided. Other objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing, diagrammatically illustrates an example of the invention without defining its limits, the view being a fragmentary section of a combustion'tup bine.

In the drawing a represents the combustion chamber of a combustion turbine of relatively large horse power, the combustion chamber being of elongated form and of rel atively large internal dimensions. At one end the chamber a is provided with anair inlet valve 6' ant]. a fuel valve 0 whichjare automatically operated in any conventiona manner to control the supply of air. and gas,

or in other words the fuel charge, to the chamf' ber a. At its opposite end the chamber 'a is provided with a nozzle valve 01 of any suit-1 able form which controls the communication between the chamber a and the nozzle 6; the latter is located in operative relation to the blades of the turbine rotor f inflthe f well known way. As so far described the construction and arrangement of the turbine may be of any conventional and wellknown type.

As shown in the illustrated example alplurality of ignition devices g, h and i, such as electrically controlled spark plugsor the like, are provided the combustion chamber a. The arrangement of these ignition,

referably such that the initial devices I is device g is located in proximity to the nozs zle valve '03, the intermediate device h in the vicinity of the'transverse center of said chamber a and the final device a inproximityto the inlet valves 6 undo. "The ignition devices 9, h and 2', which, as previously stated, may be spark plugs operated by means of high tension electric currents, the latter being controlled by means of conventional controlling devices to force the devices in periodic sequence beginning with the ,in-

itial device 9,,following with the intermediate device it and ending with the finalde- Vice' 2'; i The ignition sequence is" such that and is followed from 1/100 to 1/200 of a second later: by 'an' intermediate explosion at the device it, which infturnis followed from 1/100 'to' 1/200 for afsecondilater a final explosion, atftlie device iii A'device for efi'ectinglthe[desiredrsuccese I sive ignitionof the three spark plugs arranged within" thelchamber is schematically illustrated in the drawing. Thethreespark plugs g h and ivare "connected by lead-wires g, h", tothree contacts 9", h, i" fiexibly conected ltoyai; revolving insulated disc k. To'thefsurfacelof thedisc i6 is attached tact-piece] connected with concentric c .t-m bearsQ Theicontact,m is, in turn,

c nected toasource of current nfrom which tator -ringsio.=against which a spring I a tretu rn conductor pfleads to the body of,

yitheYmachine, The source of currentmay be an electrical energizing unit of any ordi-, @nary construction, high tension magnetos :such-j, as Bosch or; Lodge being preferred; These high tension ma'gnetos are. provided with timing levers, which allow of timing theignition devices independently from each other. In the specific ignition arrangement described above, when the insulated disc is is revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow shownon the drawing, the contact piece 1 comes successively into contact with the springs of the contacts g, h, i", from which the current iscommunicated through wires g, h, i to the. spark lugs g, h and z effecting the ignition of the atter in series depending upon the speed of the disc k or the distance between the contacts g, h", 11 upon its surface. The initial explosion at g spreads rearwardl and exerts a compressive action upon the intermediate and final portions of the fuel charge and thereby raises the temperature thereof and thus increases the combustibility of said intermediate and final portions of the charge. The spark at h accordingly encounters a highly favorable prepared mixture which is quickly and completely exloded to provide an intermediate explosion. lhe efficiency of operation is still further increased at this point due to the fact that this intermediate explosion spreads toward the inlet valves 12 and c and adds to the compression of the final portion of the charge and accordingly raises the temperature and combustibility thereof to a still higher point.

The spark at i accordingly finds a still more highly prepared mixture which is quickly exploded as a final charge to complete the explosion of the entire charge in the chamber a. Complete explosion and combustion of the entire charge, even if fuels of poor quality and slow burning are utilized, is assured and a maximum operative efiiciency is at all times provided. With the arrangement illustrated and described the opening moment of the nozzle valve may vary without interference with the efficiency of operation of the turbine. For instance, the opening of said valve d may take place during the progress of the explosion or immediately when the complete explosion takes place or a short time after the complete explosion. With the arrangement set forth, the ignition of the fuel mixture may be carried out in firing sequence in predetermined regulated periods to secure the best results.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The method of exploding a continuous body or an explosive mixture of fixed volume confined within a space having an out let, which comprises igniting in sequence portions of such mixture successively more remote from said outlet whereby the expanding products of combustion of each such portion effect compression of the remaining portion or portions of the mixture prior to the ignition thereof.

2. The method of exploding a continuous body of an explosive mixture of fixed volume confined within a space having an outlet, which comprises igniting first the'portion of said mixture adjacent said outlet,-

my hand.

HANS HOLZWARTH. 

